HMAS Vendetta (D69) - Design and Construction

Design and Construction

Vendetta was one of 25 V class destroyers built for the Royal Navy during World War I. She had a standard load displacement of 1,090 tons, and a deep displacement of 1,490 tons. The destroyer was 312 feet 0.75 inches (95.1167 m) in length overall and 300 feet (91 m) long between perpendiculars, had a beam of 29 feet 5.75 inches (8.9853 m), and a maximum draught of 14 feet 7.5 inches (4.458 m). Propulsion machinery consisted of three Yarrow boilers connected to two Brown-Curtis turbines, which supplied 29,417 shaft horsepower (21,936 kW) to two propeller shafts. Although designed with a maximum speed of 34 knots (63 km/h; 39 mph), Vendetta achieved 35.041 knots (64.896 km/h; 40.324 mph) during power trials. The ship's company consisted of 6 officers and 113 sailors.

On completion, the ship's main armament consisted of four single QF 4 inch Mk V naval guns. This was supplemented by a quad-barrelled 2-pounder pom-pom, five .303-inch machine guns, and two triple 21-inch torpedo tube sets. Two chutes and four throwers for depth charges were installed later in the ship's career, with a payload of 50 charges carried. When Vendetta was converted into an escort vessel in 1942, her armament was changed to two 4-inch guns, two pom-poms, four 20 mm Oerlikon guns, seven .303-inch guns, and the depth charge equipment.

Vendetta was laid down by the Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, Limited, at Govan, Scotland on 25 November 1916. The ship was launched on 3 September 1917. Vendetta was completed on 17 October 1917, and commissioned that day into the Royal Navy. The ship's name came from the concept of vendetta. The original ship's badge depicted a stiletto dagger pointing down at an angle, however, at a point after entering RAN service, the design was modified to include an arm, with the hand around the stiletto's hilt. The ship also acquired the motto "Vindico", Latin for "I Avenge".